History

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

SHETH HATHISING

FOUNDATION STONE

HARKUVARBA

True service to mankind is service to God. Particularly for those who are poor, diseased and helpless. Government health institutions are like an oasis in the desert which work for this noble cause. They provide medical services to ailing, diseased & suffering people, free of charge.

Civil Hospital has a grand heritage and vast history spanning over 160 years of its service to the patients, since its inception in 1841.Earlier it was located at The Collector’s Office, Ghee Kanta.To meet with the needs of increasing population and patients, expansion was needed. In that time, some great figures of charity and humanity came forward to help them . Among them there were Sheth Shri Hathising & Premabhai , men with mercy, who donated for free health services , aid and treatment to the people , and as an outcome Old Civil Hospital came into existence in 1858.There were 12 wards in the hospital. The Ahmedabad Medical School was started in 1871 with the intake capacity of 14 students as Hospital Assistant (H A).It was attached to the Civil Hospital at Ghee Kanta. Bayramji Jeejibhoy had donated Rs. 20000 in 1879 to open the Medical School which is now known as B J Medical College. In 1879 an adjoining block known as “Wylie Ward” was added. In the year 1900 AD with the donation of Rs 32000 from Khan Bahadur Nawrojee Pestanji Vakil C.I.I., an eye hospital and outdoor patients section were started. From the funds collected by public of Ahmedabad, a well equipped surgical unit named “Mary Lambert Operation Theatre “was created in the year 1907 AD. In the year 1911 AD, from another donation of Rs 40000 received from Khan Bahadur navroji Pestanji Vakil, a Maternity Unit and Women & Children’s Wards were constructed. Thus, the old Civil Hospital was developed. It was shifted to the New Civil Hospital, Asarwa area, Ahmedabad on 2nd November 1953 at its present building which was constructed by government to meet with the need of increasing number of patients. It is spread over 110 acres of area.

It has all kind of health facilities ,specialities & super specialties such as Medical , Surgical , Gynec , Ortho , ENT , Skin & V. D., Pediatric, Ped. Surgery, Neurosurgery etc. Other institutions existing in the campus are autonomously providing medical / surgical treatment for specific diseases. They are Kidney Hospital, U.N. Mehta Heart Hospital, Dental & Cancer Hospital, T.B. Hospital & Paraplegia Hospital. In every calamity , whether it is in form of epidemic , riots , earthquake or any hazards , they have always stood with the people. Disaster Management & Trauma service are the important parts of its services.

New Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad has more than 2000 beds & 44 wards for indoor patients providing treatment to over 9 lac O P D patients and more than 1 lac indoor patients annually.

Civil Hospital is a vast medicity , well equipped with modern apparatus . All type of treatment & investigations are provided free of charge. A few investigations are charged for at minimum of rates.

It is one of the biggest hospitals in Asia. It is a teaching institute affiliated to the B J Medical College imparting education to MBBS & PG medical students.

The seeds of fruits that we eat today were laid by men of great humanity & mercy – the great donor , philanthropist Sheth Shri Hathising & Sheth Shri Premabhai , after whom the hospital is named . Let’s remember their great service to mankind & pay homage to them.

NAGAR SHETH SHRI PREMABHAI ( 1815 AD – 1887 AD ) :

The 6th Nagarsheth of Ahmedabad city, in tradition of Nagarsheth, from Shantidas Zaveri family, Premabhai was born in Kartik month of Samvat 1871. i.e. 1815 A.D.

During the rebellion of 1857, he ran a private Angadia ( Courier ) service.He was entitled “ Rav Saheb “ in 1877 by Government for his devotion to the government.

He was given the honorary membership of Mumbai Govt. Legislative Assembly. He was the president of Gujarat Vernacular Society (now Gujarat Vidhyasabha) for which he had donated.

He had also donated for Premabhai Hall and Prem Darwaja.

He had donated Rs. 20000 for Old Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad.

Premabhai died in 1887.

NAGAR SHETH SHRI HATHISING KESARISING ( 1796AD-1845AD):

By occupation , a Jain merchant , Sheth Shri Hathising was a magnanimous donor and organizer of activities .

He was born in 1796 A.D. He lost his father at a tender age. He married the daughter of Nagarsheth Sheth Shri Hemabhai. First he married Rukmini and later on her sister Prasanna, as Rukmini unfortunately became blind. Prasanna too died as a young age. Then he married Harkuvarba, a pious lady, a businessman’s daughter from Ghogha.

He built the famous Jain Temple in Ahmedabad , known as “ Hathising Jain Temple”.

His wife Harkuvarba donated Rs. 55000 to Civil Hospital in the name of her husband in 1856.

Shri Hathising died in 1845 A.D.

CIVIL SURGEON : SIR D. WYLIE M.D. I.M.S. ( 1796-1818 ):

He was a reputed civil surgeon. He donated Rs. 13000 for Civil Hospital. He administered as Civil Surgeon in 1856, 1859 & 1869 A.D. Being a non – Indian & a salaried person, his contribution certainly is not of less worth than any other.